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HOT TOPIC
Derrick Burgess won't know for sure until the hitting begins in training camp, but the man who led the NFL in sacks thinks rookie offensive lineman Paul McQuistan may be a keeper.
"You mean the mullet?" Burgess said. "I've seen him. He looks like one of those tough guys. Looks like he has pretty good feet, though."
A third-round draft pick out of Weber State, No. 69 overall, McQuistan was a tackle in college and started out that way with the Raiders, where he got to participate in drills wit the likes of Burgess and veteran pass rusher Lance Johnstone.
With his long red hair, McQuistan has a "Road Warrior" look similar to that of Robert Gallery -- who happens to be manning the left tackle position McQuistan was playing during the first mini-camp.
Coach Art Shell stressed, however, that left tackle was simply a starting point to get a look at McQuistan's skills. If McQuistan is ready to play, it won't be long before he gets a look at guard, where the most wide-open spot on the line is on the right side.
Gallery is etched in stone at left tackle, with former left tackle Barry Sims moving to left guard. Jake Grove will play center, with veteran Brad Badger currently running No. 1 at right guard and Langston Walker at right tackle.
Veterans Kelvin Garmon and Cameron Spikes, former starters, are also vying for a spot as a guard along with holdover Corey Hulsey.
The silent hope is that McQuistan shows enough to become a starter at right guard at some point in the season.
"He's a smart kid, a tough kid, and he has an attitude of, `When the ball's snapped, I'm going to work until the whistle blows,'" Shell said.
While McQuistan's reputation for being a mauler could put him in bad positions, Shell said, "He has it pretty well under control. He'll be fine."
"I have played mostly the left side," McQuistan said. "I haven't had a chance to play the right side too much. I am sure I can learn it. As soon as they ask me to go over, I will."
McQuistan said the Raiders told him they liked his physical play, his attitude and the fact that he plays with a mean streak.
"I have always tried to play with that edge just to make it fun," McQuistan said. That's the way I enjoy playing it."
PLAYER NOTES
--Kirk Morrison, who led all NFL rookies in tackles last season as a starting linebacker, had no problem with the Raiders taking a linebacker Thomas Howard in the second round of the 2006 draft.
Morrison, while at San Diego State, liked what he saw of Howard at Texas-El Paso.
"I told Thomas I had a chance to play against him two years ago and that my lasting impression of him was a guy who ran to the football," Morrison said. "He was all over the field as a sophomore. I said this kid is going to be good. I just kind of watched him grow. I'm pretty excited to have him here."
--After opening their mandatory minicamp to the press, allowing reporters to watch practice as well as conduct locker room interviews, the Raiders reverted to their secretive form and closed shop for a voluntary minicamp.
The Raiders did not disclose who attended and did not. Shell and his players were unavailable for comment.
--Coach Art Shell is hoping the Raiders will break their three-year run of leading the NFL in penalties. Oakland was whistled 147 times in 2005, and 134 times in 2004 and 2003 -- all league highs.
The last time the Raiders didn't lead the league was 2002, when they were third with 129 penalties. Shell sounds as if he will tolerate a few late hits but will try to limit pre-snap violations.
"The penalties are a no-no," Shell said. "You're going to have some aggressive penalties. Those things are part of the game. But it's the mental penalties that bother me. You can't have any offsides or false starts. Those things will kill you. You can't do it."
Shell speaks from experience. When the Raiders set a franchise record with 156 penalties -- the second highest total in NFL history -- it happened in 1994. With Shell as head coach.
--Wide receiver Randy Moss, in Florida for teammate Zack Crockett's annual football camp at Ely High School, told the Miami Herald he is still on good terms with quarterback Daunte Culpepper and wishes him well with the Dolphins.
"We're still cool," Moss said. "We talk every now and then, but he has his career to get back a hold of, and I have mine to get a hold of, also. We're not moving in different directions, but our profession is moving us in different directions."
--Recent official salary cap figures showed the Raiders with a little over $1.8 million in space, meaning they'll need to do some bookkeeping before bringing aboard their draft class.
Only Tennessee and Atlanta had less room, and that was before the Titans traded quarterback Steve McNair.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--S Calvin Branch (not tendered June 1).
--RB Omar Easy (not tendered June 1).
--TE Zeron Flemister (not tendered June 1).
--LB-DE DeLawrence Grant (not tendered June 1).
--DT Kenny Smith (not tendered June 1).
--S Reggie Tongue (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--TE James Adkisson is a converted wide receiver, strictly a project.
--DT Anttaj Hawthorne was elevated from practice squad last season, played sparingly. Has chance to stick.
--DE Tommy Kelly is a starter with great potential, undrafted in 2004, can play base end and tackle.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Jarrod Cooper: UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--FB John Paul Foschi: ERFA; terms unknown.
--S Derrick Gibson: UFA; terms unknown.
--OG Corey Hulsey: UFA; terms unknown.
--DE/LB Grant Irons: RFA; terms unknown (had been tendered at $721,600).
--OT Brad Lekkerkerker: ERFA; terms unknown.
--DT Terdell Sands: RFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $721,600.
--OT Chad Slaughter: UFA; terms unknown.
--TE Randal Williams: UFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--QB Aaron Brooks; FA Saints; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--DE Lance Johnstone: UFA Vikings; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--CB Tyrone Poole: FA Patriots; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--TE Marcellus Rivers: UFA Texans; terms unknown.
--TE O.J. Santiago: FA; terms unknown.
--RB Rod Smart: FA Panthers; terms unknown.
--OG Cameron Spikes: FA; terms unknown.
--CB Duane Starks: FA Patriots; terms unknown.
--LB Robert Thomas: FA Packers; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--QB Kerry Collins (released).
--DB Renaldo Hill: UFA Dolphins; $6M/3 yrs, $2M SB.
--DT Ed Jasper: UFA Eagles; $750,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--LB Tim Johnson: UFA Ravens; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--OG Ron Stone (released).
--CB Denard Walker (released).
--DT Ted Washington (released).
--CB Charles Woodson: UFA Packers; $52M/7 yrs, no SB; $10.5M combined RB/salary 2006.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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